CVE-2016-2100 in Foreman
Summary
by MITRE
Foreman before 1.10.3 and 1.11.0 before 1.11.0-RC2 allow remote authenticated users to read, modify, or delete private bookmarks by leveraging the (1) edit_bookmarks or (2) destroy_bookmarks permission.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/21/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-2100 affects Foreman versions prior to 1.10.3 and 1.11.0-RC2, representing a significant authorization flaw that undermines the security of bookmark management functionality. This issue stems from improper permission controls within the application's access control mechanism, specifically concerning the edit_bookmarks and destroy_bookmarks capabilities. The vulnerability allows authenticated attackers to exploit these permissions to manipulate private bookmarks that should be restricted to individual users, thereby compromising the integrity and confidentiality of user-specific data within the system.
The technical flaw manifests through a lack of proper access validation when processing bookmark operations, enabling attackers to bypass intended authorization checks. When users with appropriate credentials attempt to perform bookmark-related actions, the system fails to adequately verify whether the requested operation aligns with the user's actual permissions or ownership of the target bookmark. This weakness creates a path for privilege escalation and data manipulation, as the system does not properly enforce the principle of least privilege for bookmark management functions. The vulnerability specifically targets the authorization layer that should prevent unauthorized access to private user data, creating a scenario where legitimate users can access or modify bookmarks belonging to other users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure, as it enables comprehensive manipulation of user bookmarks including read, modification, and deletion operations. Attackers can leverage this flaw to gain unauthorized access to sensitive information stored in private bookmarks, potentially exposing confidential organizational data or user preferences. The implications are particularly concerning in enterprise environments where Foreman is used for system management, as bookmark data may contain references to critical infrastructure components, configuration details, or other sensitive operational information. This vulnerability undermines the trust model of the application and could facilitate further attacks by providing attackers with insights into system configurations or user activities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-2100 require immediate application of the vendor-provided patches and updates to Foreman versions 1.10.3 and 1.11.0-RC2, which address the underlying authorization flaws. Organizations should also implement comprehensive access control reviews to ensure proper segregation of user privileges and bookmark ownership. The remediation process should include verification that all bookmark operations properly validate user permissions against the actual ownership of target resources, aligning with the principle of least privilege as defined in cybersecurity best practices. Additionally, security teams should conduct thorough audits of all bookmark-related functionality to identify and remediate similar authorization weaknesses that may exist in other parts of the application.
This vulnerability maps to CWE-285, which specifically addresses Improper Authorization, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 for Valid Accounts and T1566 for Phishing, as attackers could use this flaw to gain unauthorized access to sensitive bookmark data and potentially escalate privileges. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper access control implementation and highlights the need for regular security assessments of authorization mechanisms within management platforms. Organizations should also consider implementing additional monitoring for bookmark-related activities to detect potential exploitation attempts and establish proper incident response procedures for authorization-related security events.